Knowledge is Power
Essay No. 01
It is aptly said that knowledge is power A knowledgeable person stands better chances of name and fame in a crowd of illiterates. He can rule the roost. He stands head and shoulders above the common man.
There is a famous Sanskrit quotation that reads: An educated person is worshiped everywhere. Wherever he goes he is offered a place of honor He is given a seat of authority, he is given a standing ovation. It is all due to his power of knowledge.
Knowledge gets wisdom. A person with good knowledge about all the knowledge of the world is a gem. He shines like a star and gives out knowledge to everyone around him. It is a pleasure to sit in the company of a person with knowledge. The knowledge is like a burning light which goes on lighting more and more lamps of knowledge. The more we spend the wealth of knowledge, the more we acquire. It does not grow less with time but increases with experience.
Acquiring knowledge is not easy. One has to put in hard labor day and night for many years and bow before learned teachers and scholars. It requires a whole-hearted devotion. A serious student of knowledge does not take any rest. It goes on studying books of great masters who have put jewels in their books. Knowledge has no end. It knows no limits. The more you have, the more there is yet to know. The might of his pen is far greater than the might of swords and guns. No power on earth can subdue the knowledge of a person. Great Kings and Monarchs have given glowing tributes to the knowledgeable persons and presented great seats of honors to them in their courts.
Essay No. 02
Knowledge is Power
“Knowledge is knowing what we cannot know” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Doing the right things at right time in the right way, produces the right results, we aspire. Time has gone, when the power of the sword rules the world. Even during that period, the power of the sword alone never ruled, but the knowledge about enemy, knowledge about own strength, and knowledge of the right time attack always had played a crucial role in grabbing the power. It is said that ignorance is “the curse of God”, while knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.
The desire for acquisition of knowledge is common, except among those who are abnormal human beings. People who have knowledge rule the world, true knowledge of men and human affairs enables the possessor to command others. But power resulting from knowledge must not be used arbitrarily, nor should it make people proud or arrogant. The truly wise and knowledgeable person is humble; humanity comes with knowledge even while power is being acquired.
But power, unfortunately, tends to become despotic and insolent. Unlimited power corrupts the possessor, on the other hand, unlimited knowledge works in the opposite direction. Knowledge has no limits; the more one learns, the more one becomes aware of one’s limitations, shortcomings, and lack of knowledge. The lust of power is fragrant passion and together it leads to the downfall of the mightly.
However, it is not always that knowledge ensures power. There have been many cases in history where ignorant people have wrangled power, outside those who, on the basis of their extensive knowledge and experience, desire to exercise authority. But where the ignorant exercise power over the rest of society.
Moreover, all-round education and extensive knowledge are desirable for democracy, because ignorance never helps in the emergence of a democratic setup. In fact, an ignorant person would not even know what democracy is and what it implies of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses the most, and restraint, tolerance, understanding as well as the capacity to manage affairs of state, come with knowledge.
Yet another aspect of knowledge and its concomitant power needs to be examined. Modern knowledge is not only wide in scope but also very intricate. Thousands of investigators are constantly at work, day and night in many parts of the world to acquire more knowledge and enrich the human mind. The mountain of knowledge consequently goes on becoming higher and higher. It is only the foolish man who thinks he knows everything.
Knowledge can be acquired, enhanced through reading. Reading is the key to gain more knowledge. Napoleon once remarked, “Show me a family of readers and I will show you the people who move the world”. All learned, successful and powerful men have been great readers. Again through our readings, we can get to know the lives of great and successful men, the problem they faced, and the means to overcome them. Often their biographies give us a clue to solving our problems.
In times of adversity, danger, misfortune a man of knowledge proves to be a man of resources. He can overcome the problems with his knowledge. No knowledge is better than the knowledge of self knowing oneself means, mastering one’s passions and controlling one’s traits and faculties. Thus knowledge gives one immense power, so rightly said, ‘knowledge is power.’
